Tomorrow marks the official start of the 2012 election season. Although candidates have been announcing their campaigns for months, California law designates December 30th as the first day on which candidate may begin collecting and filing signatures in lieu of filing fees. The key dates for the June Primary are:
December 30 – February 23: Signatures in Lieu of Filing Fees
February 13 – March 9: Regular Nomination Period
March 10 – 14, 2012: Extended Nomination Period (if an eligible incumbent does not file for office)
April 9 – May 22: Write-In Candidate Filing Period
June 5: Presidential Primary Election
Source: Candidate Filing Information from the California Secretary of State
We should have a complete idea of what the June ballot will look like by March 15th. With the exception of a very close race or two, the candidate line-up for the November election should be known by the end of June 6th.
